Pic Credit: Pexel

Aug 19: India and Iceland are looking to deepen cooperation in fisheries, green shipping and maritime skills as both countries seek to expand their partnership in the blue economy.

India’s Ambassador to Iceland, R. Ravindra, held discussions with Iceland’s Infrastructure Minister Eyjolfur Armannsson on Tuesday and briefed him on the upcoming Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue. The meeting also covered opportunities for cooperation in green shipping, capacity building and fisheries.

Fisheries emerged as an important area where the two countries can work more closely. Iceland has considerable experience in sustainable fishing, seafood processing and efficient use of marine resources, while India has a large fisheries sector with significant potential for value addition and exports.

Greater cooperation could help Indian businesses adopt better fishing and processing technologies, improve skills and strengthen the seafood value chain. Earlier cooperation between the two countries has also explored areas such as zero-waste fisheries, traceability, certification, deep-sea fishing technology and aquaculture.

Green shipping is another promising area. Discussions on cleaner maritime transport and capacity building come as India works to develop a lower-carbon shipping sector and encourage the adoption of greener fuels and technologies. India’s maritime authorities are already working on measures covering green ships, alternative fuels, green ports and sustainable shipping corridors.

The latest engagement builds on the broader discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir at the India-Nordic Summit in Oslo earlier this year. The two leaders had discussed cooperation in fisheries, clean energy, sustainability, geothermal energy, carbon capture and storage, as well as Arctic research.

The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement is also expected to provide additional opportunities for trade and investment between India and Iceland.

With fisheries, maritime technology and green shipping gaining importance globally, closer India-Iceland cooperation could create new opportunities for businesses, support technology and knowledge sharing, and contribute to the sustainable growth of the blue economy.